Patentable/Patents/US-9619111
US-9619111

Information processing apparatus and method, and program

PublishedApril 11, 2017
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

There is provided a content selection view in which the user can select a content intuitively and easily. When the user places a touch pen in touch with a touch panel in a position corresponding to a position P1 in a map and drags the touch pen along a locus to a position P2 with the touch pen being kept in touch with the touch panel, PD will judge that a grid is still an option. Thereafter, when the user takes the touch pen off the touch panel surface, the PD will select the grid corresponding to the position P2 where the touch pen has finally been in touch with the touch panel. The PD will output not only content data assigned to the selected grid but a sound corresponding to predetermined content data even while the grid is still an option. The present invention is applicable to a portable recorder/player.

Patent Claims
20 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.

Claim 1

Original Legal Text

1. An apparatus, comprising: a storage device that stores a set of instructions; and at least one processor coupled to the storage device, the at least one processor being operative with the set of instructions in order to: obtain metadata associated with a plurality of elements of audio content, the metadata specifying values of characteristics of the audio content elements; assign the audio content elements to corresponding display elements of a multidimensional map, the elements being associated with ranges of the characteristic values; generate an first electronic instruction to present, to a user on a display unit, a representation of the multidimensional map, the representation comprising visual indicators identifying the assigned audio content elements; receive information indicative of a selection of one or the assigned audio content elements by the user, the received information identifying ranges of characteristic values centered about the characteristic values of a first one of the display elements associated with the selected audio content element; and obtain information defining a playlist associated with the selected audio content element, the playlist comprising one or more of the elements of audio content associated with second display elements having corresponding characteristic values that fall within the identified ranges.

Plain English Translation

An audio player application creates a visual, interactive map of audio content. It analyzes songs or audio files, extracts metadata describing characteristics like tone, tempo, or user familiarity. These files are displayed as visual indicators on a multidimensional map. The user selects a song on the map. The system then uses the selected song's characteristics to identify similar songs based on their proximity on the map, creating a playlist of related content.

Claim 2

Original Legal Text

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein: the representation comprises a grid having a plurality of grid cells; the display elements are associated with the grid cells the first display element is associated with a first one of the grid cells; and the visual indicators represent positions of the assigned elements of audio content within the multidimensional map.

Plain English Translation

The audio player from the previous description displays the audio content as visual indicators inside a grid of cells. Each cell in the grid represents a range of audio characteristics (e.g., tempo, mood). When the user selects a cell, they are effectively selecting a song. The grid cells then indicate the position of each song on the multidimensional map by its place in the grid.

Claim 3

Original Legal Text

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further operative with the set of instructions in order to: assign a one of the elements of audio content to a corresponding one of the grid cells; and generate a second electronic instruction to present, on the display unit, an identifier of the audio content element assigned to the corresponding grid cell.

Plain English Translation

In the grid-based audio player from the previous description, the system assigns a specific song to each grid cell. The system then displays the title or an image representing the audio content within that cell, allowing the user to visually identify the songs associated with each section of the grid.

Claim 4

Original Legal Text

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the identifier comprises at least one of information associated with a title of the assigned element of audio content or one or more images associated with the element of audio content.

Plain English Translation

Building upon the grid-based display from the previous description, the identifier displayed within each grid cell is either the title of the song assigned to that cell or an image (or multiple images) associated with that particular audio content.

Claim 5

Original Legal Text

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further operative with the set of instructions in order to: obtain the element of audio content assigned to the first grid cell; and generate a second electronic instruction to play at least a portion the obtained audio content element for the user.

Plain English Translation

Continuing with the grid-based interface, when a user selects a grid cell from the previous description, the audio player automatically starts playing at least a portion of the song assigned to that cell, providing immediate audio feedback.

Claim 6

Original Legal Text

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further operative with the set of instructions in order to obtain at least a portion of the audio content elements associated with the playlist.

Plain English Translation

Expanding on the map-based playlist generation from the initial description, the system retrieves at least a portion of each audio file included in the playlist that was generated based on the selected audio content element.

Claim 7

Original Legal Text

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein: the elements of audio content associated with the playlist are arranged in a predetermined order; and the at least one processor is operative with the set of instructions in order to generate a second electronic instruction to present, on the display unit, identifiers of the audio content elements associated with the playlist in accordance with the predetermined order.

Plain English Translation

In the audio player from the first description, the playlist of related audio content is arranged in a predetermined order (e.g., by tempo, user rating). The system displays the titles or identifiers of the songs in the playlist on the display unit, respecting this pre-defined order.

Claim 8

Original Legal Text

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein: the receiving unit is further configured to receive a request to modify the predetermined order; and the at least one processor is operative with the set of instructions in order to generate a third electronic instruction to present the identifiers of the audio content elements associated with the playlist in accordance with the modified order.

Plain English Translation

In the ordered playlist described above, the system allows users to modify the default order of songs in the playlist. If a user changes the order, the system will redisplay the song identifiers to reflect the user-defined sequence.

Claim 9

Original Legal Text

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the characteristics describe, for the audio content elements, at least one of a tone, a tempo, a melody, a rhythm, assigned ranks, corresponding ages, or values indicative of the user's familiarity.

Plain English Translation

The audio characteristics used to generate the map and playlists in the first description include one or more of the following: the song's tone, tempo, melody, rhythm, assigned ranks (popularity), song age, or a measure of how familiar the user is with the song.

Claim 10

Original Legal Text

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the characteristics describe at least one of a mood the user associates with the audio content elements, an age of the audio content elements, a familiarity of the user with the audio content elements, or a time during which the audio content elements are accessed by the user.

Plain English Translation

The audio characteristics for the map-based playlist system include one or more of the following: the mood the user associates with the song, the age of the song, the user's familiarity with the song, or how frequently the user accesses the song.

Claim 11

Original Legal Text

11. A computer-implemented method, comprising: obtaining, using at least one processor, metadata associated with a plurality of elements of audio content, the metadata specifying values of characteristics of the audio content elements; assigning, using the at least one processor, the audio content elements to corresponding display elements of a multidimensional map, the elements being associated with ranges of the characteristic values; generating, using the at least one processor, an first electronic instruction to present, to a user on a display unit, a representation of the multidimensional map, the representation comprising visual indicators identifying the assigned audio content elements; receiving, using the at least one processor, information indicative of a selection of one or the assigned audio content elements by the user, the received information identifying ranges of characteristic values centered about the characteristic values of a first one of the display elements associated with the selected audio content element; and obtaining, using the at least one processor, information defining a playlist associated with the selected audio content element, the playlist comprising one or more of the elements of audio content associated with second display elements having corresponding characteristic values that fall within the identified ranges.

Plain English Translation

An audio player application creates a visual, interactive map of audio content. It analyzes songs or audio files, extracts metadata describing characteristics like tone, tempo, or user familiarity. These files are displayed as visual indicators on a multidimensional map. The user selects a song on the map. The system then uses the selected song's characteristics to identify similar songs based on their proximity on the map, creating a playlist of related content.

Claim 12

Original Legal Text

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein: the representation comprises a grid having a plurality of grid cells; the display elements are associated with the grid cells; the first display element is associated with a first one of the grid cells; and the visual indicators represent of positions of the assigned elements of audio content within the multidimensional map.

Plain English Translation

The audio player from the previous method displays the audio content as visual indicators inside a grid of cells. Each cell in the grid represents a range of audio characteristics (e.g., tempo, mood). When the user selects a cell, they are effectively selecting a song. The grid cells then indicate the position of each song on the multidimensional map by its place in the grid.

Claim 13

Original Legal Text

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising: assigning a one of the elements of audio content to a corresponding one of the grid cells; and generating a second electronic instruction to present, on the display unit, an identifier of the audio content element assigned to the corresponding grid cell, the identifier comprising at least one of information associated with a title of the assigned element of audio content or one or more images associated with the element of audio content.

Plain English Translation

Building upon the grid-based method from the previous description, the system assigns a specific song to each grid cell. The system then displays the title or an image representing the audio content within that cell, allowing the user to visually identify the songs associated with each section of the grid. The identifier is either the title of the song or one or more images associated with that audio content.

Claim 14

Original Legal Text

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising: obtaining the element of audio content assigned to the first grid cell; and generating a second electronic instruction to play at least a portion the obtained audio content element for the user.

Plain English Translation

Continuing with the grid-based interface, when a user selects a grid cell from the previous description, the audio player automatically starts playing at least a portion of the song assigned to that cell, providing immediate audio feedback.

Claim 15

Original Legal Text

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising obtaining at least a portion of the audio content elements associated with the playlist.

Plain English Translation

Expanding on the map-based playlist generation from the initial method, the system retrieves at least a portion of each audio file included in the playlist that was generated based on the selected audio content element.

Claim 16

Original Legal Text

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein: the elements of audio content associated with the playlist are arranged in a predetermined order; and the method further comprises generating a second electronic instruction to present, on the display unit, identifiers of the audio content elements associated with the playlist in accordance with the predetermined order.

Plain English Translation

In the audio player method from the first description, the playlist of related audio content is arranged in a predetermined order (e.g., by tempo, user rating). The system displays the titles or identifiers of the songs in the playlist on the display unit, respecting this pre-defined order.

Claim 17

Original Legal Text

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising: receiving a request to modify the predetermined order; and generating a third electronic instruction to present the identifiers of the audio content elements associated with the playlist in accordance with the modified order.

Plain English Translation

In the ordered playlist described above, the system allows users to modify the default order of songs in the playlist. If a user changes the order, the system will redisplay the song identifiers to reflect the user-defined sequence.

Claim 18

Original Legal Text

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the characteristics describe, for the audio content elements, at least one of a tone, a tempo, a melody, a rhythm, assigned ranks, corresponding ages, or values indicative of the user's familiarity.

Plain English Translation

The audio characteristics used to generate the map and playlists in the first method include one or more of the following: the song's tone, tempo, melody, rhythm, assigned ranks (popularity), song age, or a measure of how familiar the user is with the song.

Claim 19

Original Legal Text

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the characteristics describe at least one of a mood the user associates with the audio content elements, an age of the audio content elements, a familiarity of the user with the audio content elements, or a time during which the audio content elements are accessed by the user.

Plain English Translation

The audio characteristics for the map-based playlist system include one or more of the following: the mood the user associates with the song, the age of the song, the user's familiarity with the song, or how frequently the user accesses the song.

Claim 20

Original Legal Text

20. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing a program that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform a method for processing information, comprising: obtaining metadata associated with a plurality of elements of audio content, the metadata specifying values of characteristics of the audio content elements; assigning the audio content elements to corresponding display elements of a multidimensional map, the elements being associated with ranges of the characteristic values; generating an first electronic instruction to present, to a user on a display unit, a representation of the multidimensional map, the representation comprising visual indicators identifying the assigned audio content elements; receiving information indicative of a selection of one or the assigned audio content elements by the user, the received information identifying ranges of characteristic values centered about the characteristic values of a first one of the display elements associated with the selected audio content element; and obtaining information defining a playlist associated with the selected audio content element, the playlist comprising one or more of the elements of audio content associated with second display elements having corresponding characteristic values that fall within the identified ranges.

Plain English Translation

A computer-readable storage medium contains instructions to create an audio player application that generates a visual, interactive map of audio content. It analyzes audio files, extracts metadata describing characteristics like tone or tempo, and displays them as visual indicators on a multidimensional map. When the user selects a song, the system identifies similar songs based on their characteristics and map proximity, creating a playlist of related content.

Classification Codes (CPC)

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

December 29, 2014

Publication Date

April 11, 2017

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